Mr. F. Smith on some new Species of Pompilide. 263 
One of the most lovely of the Halticide. Taken by M. Damel in 
the Fiji Islands. I received it, in his collection of Coleoptera, when 
he was in England, and subsequently, by the kindness of my friend 
Dr. Dohrn of Stettin, from some other collection made by the same 
naturalist, the locality in the latter case also being Fiji Islands. 
In the cabinets of Mr. Baly and the Rey. H. Clark. 
XXI.—Deseriptions of new Species of Brazilian Pompilide. By 
Freverick Surra, Assistant in the Zoological Department of the 
British Museum. 
TueRE is no family in the extensive tribe of Fossorial Hymeno- 
ptera that contains species more elegant in their forms, or more 
gorgeously adorned, than are to be found amongst the Pompilide. 
These insects have an almost universal geographical range ; but it is 
upon the Brazilian species that nature has lavished the most splendid 
colouring, not unfrequently combined with the brilliant effulgence of 
gold and silver adornment. Eleven species of the elegant genus 
Agenia are described in the present paper: this section of the Pom- 
pilide contains those species the tibize and tarsi of which are destitute 
of the spines or serrations which are always found in the other more 
truly fossorial genera of the family. 
The habits of a few species of the genus Agenza have been observed, 
none of them forming burrows of their own, but availing themselves 
of some hole or ready-formed cavity adapted to the purposes of their 
economy. The British species, Agenia punctum, selects a hole suffi- 
ciently large to contain eight or ten mud cells, which the insect con- 
structs, placing them one over the other, apparently without any 
attempt at regularity of position. In all probability, none of the 
species of the genus Agenia are fossorial in their habits; and conse- 
quently they form an aberrant group amongst the Pompilide. 
The species from Brazil which are here described are selected 
from the more recent captures of Mr. H. W. Bates. None are of a 
large size; but several vie in beauty with the largest and most 
splendid of the tribe, some of which are full 24 inches in length, 
whilst others do not exceed 2 lines. The colouring of the wings of 
these insects is occasionally very beautiful, being blue, purple, violet, 
green, yellow, or fiery red, with bands or spots of pure white, black, 
gold, or silver. 
The species from Mexico form an important addition to our know- 
ledge of these insects, not more than six or eight having, to my 
knowledge, been previously described from that country. 
you. 1. U 
